FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Washington, DC – (Oct. 18, 2012) – Family Equality Council, the national organization that supports, represents and connects the one million families in this country with parents who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) and their two million children, today released a statement about the findings of a new Gallup Special Report on LGBT people.
The report, which found that 3.4% of U.S. adults identify as LGBT, also included groundbreaking data on LGBT people who are raising children. According to the report:
“LGBT women are (equally) as likely as non-LGBT women to be raising a child in their home”.
- 32% of both non-LGBT women and LGBT women have children under 18 in the home.
“Within the LGBT population, child-rearing is much more common among racial and ethnic minorities”
- More than 41% of Hispanic and African-American LGBT women and 38% of Asian LGBT women are raising children, compared with 28% of white LGBT women.
- 39% of Hispanic men, 31% of Asian men, and 14% of African-American men are raising children compared to ten percent of LGBT white men
Family Equality Council Executive Director Jennifer Chrisler pointed to another finding in the Gallup Special Report that found that LGBT people are at a higher risk of poverty with more than a third reporting incomes of less than $24,000 a year.
“This is a clear wake up call for our nation’s elected officials and candidates- especially during these tough economic times for families,” added Chrisler, a mother of three children. “LGBT families face greater economic hardships and the American public should no longer accept empty rhetoric about family values. We will now demand clear answers on what we as a country are doing to truly value ALL families.”
Chrisler said the overall report provided dramatic evidence of the growing importance and diversity of LGBT families in America.
“Our country is made up of a vibrant and diverse fabric of families including many with moms and dads who are LGBT and LGBT people of color.” said Chrisler. “All these parents share similar hopes and dreams for their children and we must ensure everyone has access to the American dream.”
Family Equality Council recently highlighted some of the areas of public policy where diverse American families should be represented in an election platform entitled Modern Families: Ensuring the American Dream for All Families.
The organization created the platform to help encourage members of both parties to begin a national conversation on how best to build and sustain all American families. Formal copies of the platform were recently sent to campaign representatives of both Presidential candidates.
The platform highlights specific areas where politicians and policy makers can demonstrate inclusive family values including employment and benefits, poverty and economic security, family creation, immigration, family definition, youth and education, health care and housing.
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CONTACT: Steve Majors | Dir. Communications
202.664.0079│smajors@familyequality.org